Lack of action prevented Thomas from finding rhythm

BOSTON – Often regarded as creatures of habit, goaltenders
tend to live and die by their routines.

Tim Thomas was able to execute most of his rituals in
Saturday’s game against the visiting Predators. As he always
does, the veteran netminder incessantly tapped his stick on both
posts. When TV timeouts interrupted play, he moseyed out near the
blue line and stretched out.

But getting into the flow of the game was something beyond
Thomas’ control. Boston’s stingy defense and
Nashville’s lack of scoring chances kept him from doing that.
With Thomas spending most of the matinee peering down the other end
of the rink, finding a rhythm proved difficult for the reigning
Vezina Trophy winner, as he coughed up three goals on 22 shots.

“I was doing the best I could to mentally stay in
it,” said Thomas. “Some of the little stuff, like when
you get out to play the puck, can help you to keep in the game. So,
I didn’t feel that bad actually through the first period. It
got harder as we went on.”

After facing just six shots in the opening frame, it took
until the 7:32 mark of the second for Nashville to put a puck on
net. Sure enough, Shea Weber’s slapper snuck through
Thomas’ wickets, knotting things up at a goal apiece.

The Predators offensive efforts after the goal were once again
stymied. Thomas’ first save of the frame didn’t come
until 4:45 was left to go when he stopped Mike Fisher to keep the
game tied at 1-1.

“We dominated so much in the early second period that I
didn’t really get any action,” Thomas said. “So
at that point it got harder and harder, well, to get into a
complete rhythm. But I was watching what was going on in front of
me and I was happy to see us controlling the play and getting
scoring chances. So, it’s fine if I don’t get shots.
It’s my job to be ready when I do get shots.”

Unfortunately, the final 20 minutes were a rough stretch for No.
30. The Predators were again limited to half-a-dozen shots, but two
of them found their way to the back of Boston’s net.

“I was trying to figure out what happened for myself and I
think what happened is they passed it across crease like that and I
didn’t see any Nashville people out there,” Thomas
said, recounting Mike Fisher’s goal that put Nashville ahead
3-2 with under four minutes left in regulation.

“I took my eye off the puck to look and see where the
Nashville guys were. By the time I looked back, I saw Fisher
winding up to whack at the puck. I never actually got my eye back
on the puck before he shot it and scored. So that’s what
happened. That’s my mistake, taking my eye off the puck I
guess.”

Luckily for the Bruins, Thomas pulled through when it mattered
most, stopping all three shots he faced in overtime and both
shooters (Andrei Kostitsyn, Martin Erat) in the shootout.

“Well, I got fortunate on the first one I think that he
couldn’t lift it because obviously I was taking it way down
low late,” Thomas said of Kostitsyn’s attempt.
“And the second one there, I also think I got a little bit
fortunate because the puck kind of bounced on him at about the hash
marks, right in the area where you’re going to decide whether
to shoot or deke and he had no option really except for to go with
the way the puck went.”

Though being sparingly tested proved to be a hindrance
throughout the first 65 minutes of play, Thomas gladly welcomed a
lightened workload in the shootout as Boston tallied in both the
second and third rounds.

“‘Segy’ [Tyler Seguin] and ‘Bergy’
[Patrice Bergeron] scoring was huge for me,” he said.
“And ‘Bergy’ scoring that second one so I
don’t even have to make another save, I was very
appreciative.”